Safety-catch for pins.



B. B /IORBHOUSE.- SAFETY CATCH FOR PINS.

APPLICATION FILED DHG.17, 1910.

I Patented July-30, 1912.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EUGENE MOREHOUSE, OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, ASSIGNOR TO .B. A. BALLOU AND COMPANY, INC., OF PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND, A CORPORATION OF RHODE ISLAND.

' SAFETY-CATCH FOR PINS.

.nions, whereby an exceptionally strong and durable keeper is obtained, and a further object of the invention is to so mount the guard in said keeper that the same is adapted to be rotated to close the mouth of the keeper and when closed to be retained in that position by the pin-tongue under spring tension.

With these and other objects in view, the

invention consists of certain novel features of construction, as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved safety catch retaining the point of an ordinary pin stem, the opposite end of said stem being secured to the pin body by a joint in the usual way. Fig. 2- is an enlarged side elevation of the catch member showing the guard in position to open themouth of the keeper. Fig. 3- is an enlarged side elevation of the catch member showing the guard in position to close the mouth of the keeper. Fig. 4 is a detail showing the keeper as blanked out of sheet stock with the recess swaged and the pin-tongue receiving slots formed therein. Fig. 5 is aperspective view of the guard member. Fig. 6 is a perspective view of one side of the keeper bent up into position, the opposite side being removed. Fig. 7 represents both sides of the keeper being bent up over the trunnions on the guard to connect the whole together. Fig. 8 is a central sectional side elevation of the guard retained in the keeper showing the slot through both for the reception of the pin stem.

Having reference to the drawings, 1 designates the usual pin stem mounted at one end in the joint member 2 attached to the body Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 17 1910. Serial No. 597,788.

Patented. Jul 30, 1912.

serves as a base when the ears are bent up into operative position. These ears, are centrally recessed at 8-8 the stock 9-9 being pressed from the inner side outward into a cupshape, but not punched way through form- 'ing a housing for receiving and completely inclosing the trunnions on the guard member hereinafter described. By this construction the full strength of the metal in the hook portion of these ears is retained, which would not be the case if the'recessed stock were entirely remove thus permitting the keeper to be constructed from very thin, light stock which in practice is found .very advantageous particularly when the catch is made of the precious metals.

- A slot 10 may he formed through the wall or walls of one or both of these ears, the same to extend from the margin thereof preferably near the base portion upward or inward at an angle to said base and slightly beyond the center portion of the ears, said slot or slots being for the purpose of receiving the pointed end of the pin stem. That portion of said slot or slots which extends beyond the center of the ears is preferably directed slightly upward or in a direction away from the base forming a locking recess 11 but I do not wish to restrict myself to extending this recess upward from the center as it may extend in any direction into which the pin-tongue may follow by its own spring tension to form a lock when the guard is in its closed position.

The guard member 12 is constructed essentially in a disk form having short laterally extending trunnions 1313 and an operating handle 14 extending radially outward from its periphery. A radial-slot 15, the bottom portion o which being designated at 15 is formed through the disk and trunnions from its margin inward to its center, said slot being in a position to regiseach ear is preferably pressed outward into substantially a semi-spherical 'form on its outer surface, as illustrated in Fig. 1,'which form serves to stiifen, strengthen and support the ends 20-20 of the hook shape portion of the ears66, said hook effect being obtained'by slotting the ears as at 10. When it is desired to open the mouth of the slot 10 in the keeper for the reception of the pointed end of the pin stem the handle 14: of the guard is carried over back against the stop 16 on the keeperin the position illustrated in Fig. 2.

In order to effectually secure the end of the pin stem that has been inserted in the keeper from being inadvertently removed therefrom, the handle 14 of the guard memher is carried'up and over until the edge 17 rests against the stock 18 on the front side of the base 7 of the keeper asillustrated in Fig.3. In this position it will be noted that 'the slot 15 in the guard member extends straight upward or outward from the base forming the recess 11 at its end, into which the pin tongue 1 rises under its spring tension, in which position this pin-tongue forms a, natural look to retain the guard in lts closed positlon, requ ring extra pressure on the guard member to force the pin-tongue out of the recess 11.

The device, owing to its especial construction, is extremely strong and durable even when formed of very light material. It is locked or retained in its closed position by the natural or normal action of the pin-- tongue and owing to its smooth outer contour it is handsome and attractive in appearance.

I claim:

1. A safety catch comprising a keeper having a pair of side ears formed integral with and bent up from a common base portion, said ears being provided with a radial slot extending from its margin inward, and a guard member rot-atably connected with.

said ears and also having a radial slot extending from its margin inward, the outer portions of said slots being adapted to register to admit the pin tongue thereinto, one

of said slots extending to the axial center of palr of side ears provided with coinciding radial slots, and cup-shaped recesses, and a guard member having trunnions mounted in said recesses, said guard member being also provided with a radial slot adapted to coincide with the first mentioned slots, the

slots of said ears and guard member leading in from the margins of the respective parts to the centers thereof, the slots in said ears being offset at their inner ends.

3. A pin having a safety catch, a pin tongue in said pin having its free end under spring tension when in said catch, said catch comprising a keeper constructed of a pair of side ears each provided with a cupshaped recess to form a bearing, a guard member having a pair of trunnions mounted in the recesses, said keeper being provided with an angular slot, said guard being provided with a radial slot, a portion ofeach of said slots being adapted to register to receive the pin-tongue, said guard adapted to be rotated to .move itsslot out of line with a portion of that in said keeper and into line with another ortion of said latter slot whereby. the pin-tongue secured therein is permitted to move outward and lock the guard in its closed position.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

EUGENE MOREHOUSE.

Witnesses:

HOWARD E. BAnLow, E. I. OGDEN. 

